Missing WWII fighter plane found 40ft underwater off Italian coast after 80 Years

A World War II fighter plane, P-38 Lightning, lost in the annals of the war has been found 40 feet underwater after nearly 80 years off the Italian coast, Daily Mail reported.

Warren Singer, a valiant US airman, disappeared during a daring raid on Italian airfields in 1943, and now, divers have uncovered the wreckage of his beneath the Gulf of Manfredonia.

Singer's disappearance, just days before the Allies invaded Italy, left an enduring mystery. The mission aimed to curb Italy's aerial response to the impending landings, and although successful in destroying 65 enemy planes, Singer's plane vanished. 

Now, after eight decades, the discovery of the plane at a depth of 40ft has brought closure to the mystery.

Warren Singer, only 22 at the time, left behind a wife, Margaret, whom he married just five months earlier. The revelation of the plane's discovery has stirred emotions within Singer's family, with his grandson expressing, "Warren is a hero to us all, and we love him." The surprisingly well-preserved condition of the plane adds to the poignant discovery.

Diver Fabio Bisciotti, who identified the wreckage, believes the plane likely suffered a mechanical failure, ditching in the water far from the coast. 

Despite the absence of a body, Bisciotti speculates that Singer, having managed to ditch the plane, might have drowned. Historical records and the distinct twin-boom design helped confirm the identity of the P-38 as Singer's lost aircraft.

While the diver's identification brings closure to Singer's fate, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency is actively investigating the discovery, recognising the importance of honouring a human being who believed in his mission, irrespective of wartime alliances.